Oh, There Are Waves Alright—

just not here in L.A. The best I could do today was paddle from the Second Point to the pier and back. Malibu was flat. I don't even know why we got in. I did enjoy myself. I got to chat with a man named Mark who's been surfing since 1956. We chatted for awhile and got to know each other. I watched people paddle furiously for bumps in the water that were, I kid you not, smaller than boat wakes. Still, the sun was out and the water was clean. I got two or three waves. On one of them, I told the kid next to me that he and I would go together (since everyone else had paddled for that little wave thing that preceded our little wave thing). So he and I went for it. And we made it. And when it was over, he turned around to see if I'd gotten it too. Then we both smiled. Now see, that's what I love about surfing! Even on a day when the waves are nonexistent, you can find something to smile about.